A trip to Cold Stream Ranch

It is very special to have friends who share the same interests as you. My friend, Grace, whom you met in my last post has also become a spinner. She says it's my fault, but honestly, all I did was do my own thing and spin some wool when she was over for a visit. She made some comments to show that she was interested, and before I knew it she was spinning a fine yarn. She caught on to the technique more quicly than I did!

Grace has been most helpful in reducing my stash of wool that was waiting to be spun. And when I started running low she went on a google search to find some local fleece. As a result we met two very lovely people, Mels and Ruthanne van der Laan. Mels and Ruthanne run Cold Stream Ranch which is close to Denfield, ON and raise Texel sheep, with a few East Friesians on the side. Both of these sheep breeds are Dutch just like their owner! Mels knows all about his sheep and has won various awards, and both he and his wife are spinners. You can read more about the ranch here: http://www.dutchtexel.on.ca/

On May 2 Grace and I went to Cold Stream Ranch where we a had a lovely visit with this lovely couple. And since Grace and I are also of Dutch background we just HAD to buy some Dutch fleece. The sheep had just been shorn four days before and the fleeces are just wonderful and fresh, very clean and with hardly any vegetable matter. When we put our hand in the the Texel fleece it came out glistening with lanolin. Needless to say, Grace and I are excited to wash our fleeces and see what we can produce on our wheels. We both bought a Texel fleece, and one East Friesian fleece to split.

Of course, a trip to the barn was part of the visit and Mels helped Grace a 'snuggle' with a lamb!